See content + How to model terrain?

But how do you modify/create terrains? I can't see anything in the docs.

I'm also surprised at the lack of seed content for a product touted as a Creator Preview. I know we can use blender and fbx import etc etc but where's all the basic content that you can use to learn by playing around with? I found a few rocks etc but no basic texture sets, or trees or building materials. Isn't this supposed to be for Creators?

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Terrains are available in the store. They are created by third party programs at this time. Many basic templates including terrains are available free in Sansar. Many free items are available in the store to help you get started. Contact me if you need any help!

It is still very early in the developemnt process, we are still pre-alpha, so many things are not implemented yet but will be. There are features that are built upon other things. Alot of work yet because its nowhere near close to being finished.

A big part of our job is to mess with stuff as it is implemented and test it out then give good feedback.

If you think of something that you want and its not in yet, that doesn't mean it won't be, it just hasn't been done yet.

It was mentioned yesterday in Office Hours meeting that the terrain you make yourself, but its best to not make the whole terrain one big mesh with a single texture. Its better to break it down into chunks.

Creators are the ones who will be making content, so there isn't much content because creators need to make it and test it.

How can it be pre-alpha when they say they're about to open it full public beta very soon?

I'm an experienced developer/producer across multiple tech stacks (including Unity) with 10+ years experience in SL as a live performer. I'm not a noob when it comes to testing. I'm just stating a few facts here about very obvious things that I'm quite surprised to see at this late stage.

They invited people in for feedback, so I'm giving it from my perspective.

Thank you Chris! We appreciate your input and the help with testing! It is an exciting time! Tokugawa, I hope you will explore the currently available resources when you have time. I am also willing to help should you decide to begin working with 3d development tools like Maya, Max, and Blender. I can also provide advice and assistance working with many free 3d tools. More functionality is coming soon. We are moving slowly because we want to build the best foundation for the long term. Thank you for your patience!

I started this thread after I explored a few environments, searched the store for assets, and started a test build so your assumption that I just jumped in "complaining" without doing anything is not accurate.

This is my feedback from my early testing.

>>Models

It seems your definition of "creators" is limited to 3D modelers, which is extremely restrictive. I'm not a modeler per se, though I can use max/blender/etc if I have to.

I have no wish to learn high level 3D modeling, texturing, and animation,

That's a time constraint on my part, as a designer/producer/musician/developer I don't have time to do everything.

I recognize high quality modeling, animation, and texturing is a skill in itself. I can tweak stuff in blender if need be.

I prefer to build scenes from modular components and tweak them, and I can do that well provided I have the right base content and tools. I suspect a lot of people prefer to do this for the same reasons. That way I can focus on my core skills.

I'm surprised you have not provided a base set of assets for creators (ie: non 3D modeler creators) to use to prototype, design, and develop experiences with. Unity provides a comprehensive collection of jumpstarter assets you can use to do this.

>> Store

The store is not well organised and seems you need to search by self generated keywords. It needs to be categorized for easy access to specific types of content, in addition to searching by various criteria in addition to keywords.

Again, you can analyse the way the unity asset store works here for a well designed asset store system that has been tuned under heavy use.

In the Sansar store (which I searched extensively) I found a few assets to use to start building some prototype experience but I'm missing a lot of what I need. I don't have time to develop these in max/blender. Terrains? I searched, not many at all. Texture packs? not many.

A basic set of assets to jump start building would include:

. Trees and plants

. Modular building components that can be resized

. Basic set of textures

. Basic set of environments: skyboxes etc

>> Controls

I found the controls limited. No jump or fly. I got stuck in the zen garden down the bottom in the rocks and it was extremely frustrating trying to get out. I had to log off and restart to do so.

>>visuals

Looks great

>>Build tools

Sorting and categorisation of assets needs to be implemented

>>Summary

If your strategy at the moment relies on 3D modelers as the only creators you are severely restricting the creative potential of the platform.

Maybe you could tie up with turbosquid or sketchfab in that case for direct imports from their catalogs if you need to seed the store. But the store also needs to be useable, as noted above.

I also think you need some form of parametric content creation tool. Unity has show the need for this with some high quality 3rd party packages that are extremely popular, such as Pro Builder and Archimatix parametric modelling. Ditto substance for procedural texturing.

Google's release of Blocks has also show the need for simple in world content creation tools.

(and now Google with blocks)

I'm surprised with LL's SL experience you didn't recognize the need for this. I fully understand the look generated by such tools can be limiting (looking at you SL) but you need some form of in world content creation tools.

So in summary my main points would be:

Fix the controls

Seed every account with a comprehensive set of high quality modular assets across all categories (models, textures, terrain/trees, sounds) so people can get prototyping faster.

Fix the store. Looking for assets is a key development workflow and needs to be highly optimised in order to not waste time.